Take Action on Current Issues

Take Action on Current Issues

Our conservation advocacy focuses on protecting public lands, climate, and sustainable recreation access.

Effective advocacy starts with knowing your issues and staying abreast of policy developments that affect Pacific Northwest public lands and The Mountaineers experience. Read on for more on current issues we’re advocating for and how you can take action as an outdoor advocate.

Conservation Blogs

Current Advocacy Issues

LANDSCAPE CONSERVATION

Mountaineers rely on conserved public lands and waters for our outdoor adventures and the many other benefits they provide. We’re currently working to protect the special natural places where we recreate by advocating for these important policy and management priorities:

PUBLIC LANDS FUNDING

In the face of intensifying climate change impacts and increasing recreational use, public land managers need robust funding to protect our natural spaces. The Forest Service and other land management agencies have been starved for funding for decades. This is how we’re fighting for a bold investment to protect our natural landscapes:

  • Advocating for increased appropriations for state and federal land managers so these agencies are better resourced to manage sustainable recreation access and conserve their lands.
  • Supporting Land & Water Conservation Fund projects that would make a difference for Washington’s public lands.
  • Advocating for increased funding for the Washington Wildlife & Recreation Program - the state’s largest public funding source for outdoor community projects.
  • Monitoring implementation of Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA) projects across Northwest public lands and communicating GAOA successes in support of the program’s reauthorization.

CLIMATE ACTION

The climate crisis is an urgent, existential threat to our communities and the natural landscapes we love. The future of our organization and the planet depend on bold climate action and climate-resilient public lands and waters. We’re currently working to advance federal and state climate policy by:

  • Monitoring implementation of the Inflation Reduction Act and sharing with decision-makers and the recreation community how this critical funding is supporting climate-resilient public lands in Washington.
  • Monitoring implementation of Washington State’s Climate Commitment Act, which will provide funding for natural climate solutions and other bold climate investments.
  • Tracking and engaging in opportunities from the Conserving and Restoring America the Beautiful initiative, towards protecting 30 percent of Washington’s public lands and waters by 2030. 

SUSTAINABLE & EQUITABLE OUTDOOR ACCESS

When we connect people to place, we build advocates for public lands and the outdoor experience. We’re currently working to ensure sustainable and equitable access to the outdoors through the following priorities:

TAKE ACTION

It’s important that decision-makers hear directly from you on why we must protect public lands and outdoor recreation in Washington. Take action by personalizing and sending one of our current advocacy actions below, and learn more about how to advocate effectively through this guide and our Conservation 101 blog post.

Past Mountaineers Conservation Wins